


「Finding the words until I see you again」

by great_ben_810



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-07-25 09:39:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 2,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16194923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/great_ben_810/pseuds/great_ben_810
Summary: Summary: Diana's journal from the day Akko turned to ashes until the day she becomes a tree.





	1. Lyonne   Thank you

**December 2X, 201X**

A year has passed since you turned to ashes.  
To some, it may ‘already’ be a year.  
To me, it is ‘still’ a year.

I was looking for you with each change of the season.  
In spring, my legs walked me to the ground field to oversee you flying carefreely on your broom.  
In summer, my voice lectured you on the importance of doing your assignments. While there was no one else in the library, I mistook the quietness as you dozing off.  
In fall, my arms collected the dried leaves, preparing for the roasted sweet potatoes that you were looking forward to since spring.  
And now,  
In winter, I can hear you loudly singing Christmas carols when it was only November.

Right after Halloween ended, you were already in the Christmas moods.  
Even though everyone said it was too early, you continued to sing and tell your Wish list for Santa to anyone who would listen.

If I were to be honest, I was irritated by you.  
By how impatient you were for welcoming Christmas when Thanksgiving hadn’t started yet.  
By how greedy you were for wishing anything that popped in your head—your Wish list was filled with the impossible.

Before I knew it, I asked if you really believed in Santa Claus.  
Do you remember your reply?  
“Well, I thought it might come true if I said it to someone!”

Honestly, I didn’t know you were this childish.  
But, I suppose I’m in no position to criticize you.

As Christmas approached, everyone was in high spirits except for you.  
Your body continued to weaken despite using modern medicine and magic until you were finally bedridden.

I wasn’t used to seeing you like this, so I panicked.

  
I frantically wished.  
To God,  
even to Santa Claus,  
  


Please.

Please.

Don’t take her away from me.

Don’t leave me alone again.

  
Neither of them listened to my only two wishes.  
Instead, you answered with a frail smile,

“Thank you for everything…”

 

 


	2. Phaidoari Afairynghor   You do not get the things that you dream of, you get the things you work for

**May 2X, 202X**

Tonight, I officially became the head of the Cavendishes.  
Compared to 8 years ago, everything went smoothly this time.  
(As I thought, trouble always arrives when you are around…)

When I entered the Sanctuary, I remembered the first time I walked through here.  
That time you told me, “You can work on both your family and your studies!” and insisted that I would be able to do it.  
“There’s no doubt of it in my mind.”

Because you believed in me,  
I was able to return to Luna Nova back then, become the head of my family now, and tomorrow?

I will start working on both my family and my studies again—as a medical student.

Ever since you passed away, I was dreaming for a long time.  
A dream where I cured you of your disease.  
A dream where you were still here in this world.  
I think I wasn’t able to accept your death.   
I couldn’t accept that you were gone.

So, that’s why I continued dreaming.

Because of that, our friends worried about me.  
(Have you ever angered Lotte and Jasminka before? They were 100x, no, 1000x scarier than Professor Finnelan…)  
However, thanks to them, I was able to stand back on my feet and resolved on changing my dream into a reality.

While I can’t resurrect you,  
I will find a cure to that disease.  
So that at least, other people won’t suffer from it anymore. 

I might fail.  
When I think that, I become incredibly frightened.  
Even though witches aren’t supposed to be scared.  
  
But, I don’t want to give up before I start.  
And, I certainly don’t want to betray you who believed in me.

Just like you said back then,  
I’ll never actually know if I don’t at least try.

So, even though I’m uncertain,  
I’ll try.  
I’ll succeed.

Believe in me.


	3. Mayenab Dysheebudo   To see it through, patience is important

**November 1X, 203X**

Today was tiring…

Nothing went as planned.

I woke up later than usual, so I prepared my morning tea in a hurry to only drop my teacup…

(Just now, I returned home and finally cleaned up this morning’s mess. The morning tea, I guess it’s night tea now, was stuck on the flooring.)

Then, after I grabbed my notes, I couldn’t find my broom, so I was late to lecture.

(I will have to watch the lecture video later.)

However, my day turned completely upside down at the research facility.

Apparently, yesterday’s undergraduate student didn’t return the cell cultures to their appropriate labels, contaminating the samples.

All of my findings up until now can’t be used.

I will have to start from the beginning again.

I feel overwhelmed.

It makes me want to throw everything away.

Winter has also begun.

It might be because I’m not getting enough sunlight, but my mind is becoming dark and dreary like the winter cold…

During these long nights, I read the letter you gave me over and over again to give me strength.

[If. If you ever get tired, Diana, live for me! See and experience all the interesting and shiny things for me! Also, eat something delicious until your stomach is about to explode for me! (P.S. please no potatoes unless it’s french fries.)]

Even though I can no longer remember your voice,

your words have a strange power.

It encourages me to continue living…

But sometimes, more than any poison or curse,

it makes me suffer.


	4. Arae Aryrha   Open your heart! Let’s laugh together!

**March 2X, 205X**

We did it!  
It took a long time, but finally one of the cell cultures is reacting positively to the treatment!  
The hard phase begins now where we will observe the progress and then develop a mature treatment, but

This disease is curable!

Today, I presented our findings at a medical conference.  
The auditorium was filled to the brim with doctors and researchers from all over the world.  
In addition to the medical personnel, there were families of patients who attended as well.  
I was nervous, but I explained our research with pride as head of the Cavendishes.  
(Although I stuttered a couple times in the beginning…)

After I was done presenting, a thunderous applaud echoed throughout the auditorium.  
When I looked around, I saw the medical audience smiling and nodding their heads in approval while the affected family members cried tears of happiness.

It’s a completely different approach compared to yours, but it seems that I am able to make other people laugh as well…

But, there was one thing I was made to realize.  
At the end, when I was answering questions from the audience, one of them asked,  
“This is such a wonderful finding, but why do you look sad?”  
At first, I didn’t understand what was being asked.  
Even if I had understood, I wouldn’t know how to respond.   
(After all, I didn’t realize I looked sad to others)

As my silence continued, the noise in the auditorium had risen to a clamor that I made a mistake of acting like you.  
I opened my mouth before thinking.  
“Maybe it’s because I’m turning into a tree? Whenever I find a new twig or leaves growing from my head, it does shock me…”

Thankfully, the audience laughed at my silly answer.

  
  
  


**March 2Y, 205X**

The next morning, a picture of me from yesterday decorated the front page of the newspaper.  
In large font, it read

ＤＩＡＮＡ　ＣＡＶＥＮＤＩＳＨ：The Affectionate and Humorous

While ‘affection’ is the Cavendish motto, I don’t quite agree to ‘humorous’.  
(Perhaps the latter is your influence?)

But looking at this photo, I can finally understand yesterday’s question.  
If you were to see it, you would surely tease me by calling me, “Diana the Grieving.”  
After all, right above my serious face, there were clumps of leaves growing…   
But, I have an excuse!  
Ever since I’ve started turning into a tree, my facial expressions have stiffened.  
It’s not easy to move my facial muscles like before.

So, just like you were able to make Vajarois the Grieving laugh,

I will wait as my branches continue to grow…

For the day you will make me laugh again.


	5. Phasansheer Shearylla   Change the world. Connect with other people, and your dreams will grow

**February 2X, 21XY**

Since then, I’ve continued my research,  
collaborated with many people, and  
eradicated the disease.

It was a long struggle (close to 100 years), but  
connecting with other people made my dream into a reality.

No one will suffer from that disease anymore.  
No one will lose their loved ones from that disease anymore.

I am glad and happy that I tried.   
That I believed.   
I truly am.

But now,   
I am all alone…  
  
Even if I’m connected with the whole world, I am still by myself.  
Natural aging can’t be stopped.

  
  
  


**August 1X, 217X**

Within the past couple decades, I traveled to see the world.  
I met people from different countries and directly experienced their cultures.  
In your country, I learned that there is a wonderful culture of  _omotenashi,_ orhospitality.   
It was my first time seeing shrines and temples, so everything was fascinatingly novel for me.

Oh.   
  
Just to be clear, I wasn’t just vacationing, okay?  
I held discussions on health care policies and insurances at various countries. Depending on the region, I explained how to prevent and treat certain diseases as well as vaccinating the locals.  
When I had time (which I had plenty of), I taught the children how to read and write English.

Of course, I wouldn’t have been able to do it by myself.

If I didn’t know something, I read over my mother’s notes to gain advice on how to communicate (ex. explaining hard, medical concepts into simpler terms to ensure understanding) and which resources to use when teaching English (comic books and music seem to work the best. One boy learned through Chariot Cards).

Additionally, some people have chosen to follow me.   
(It’s similar to apprenticeship maybe. They are all young, talented, and open-minded witch doctors)  
So, even though they are not blood-related, the Cavendish principles will continue to be inherited.

While I saw many beautiful scenery from around the world, the most memorable were the children’s smiles and dreams.  
I once tended to this one girl who had a terrible fever 24/7.  
After her condition stabilized, she completely recovered and told me with stars in her eyes,  
“When I get older, I’m going to be a doctor like you, Miss Cabbage!”  
When I heard that, I felt a warm feeling in my heart that no words can describe.

I will return to the Cavendish Manor where I will look forward to the children’s, to everyone’s future.

(By the way, what do you think about ‘Miss Cabbage’? Personally, I don’t think ‘cabbage’ sounds remotely close to ‘Cavendish’, but she was a young girl so it can’t be helped… She reminded me of you when you used to look at my head and call me ‘soft cream’ or when you purposely said my last name as ‘Cabbage dish’.)   


	6. Noctu Orfei Aude Fraetor   Strive for the ideal place

**June 25, 2217**

Today I feel well.  
It's sunny too,  
so instead of reading  
I will go outside to take a walk.

  
  
  


Just as Diana had written in her journal, it was sunny with clouds of cotton candy decorating the clear blue sky. It reminded her of the weather from centuries ago—when she had chased a missile with seven other witches.

Slowly but surely, Diana walks towards the center of the Cavendish Manor’s front garden.

She doesn’t walk slow because of her age though.  
In fact, if you judge just by her appearance, Diana looks incredibly young. She doesn’t look like someone who has been alive for two-hundred years…  
  
Her back is straight as ever despite the responsibilities that burdened her shoulders.  
After graduating from Luna Nova, she had grown again with a style that would make anybody jealous.  
On top of this, her face had matured with no signs of wrinkles.  
If you disregard the leaves growing out of her head, she looks like any other person.  
Yet, it was easy to distinguish her from others.  
With her all-encompassing and all-forgiving eyes that can neither be achieved nor impersonated by an ordinary person,   
Diana had grown to become an incredibly mystical witch.

So, Diana walks slowly to reminisce her memories—one step at a time.  
Her mother passing away and having to grow up quickly.  
Trying to get closer to her idol while studying magic with pride as a Cavendish.  
Clashing with a particular witch,  
then helping each other.  
Saving the world with her friends,  
to lose her loved one again.  
Finally,  
Continuing to believe to make her dreams come true.

Satisfied with her life, Diana takes one last step and looks up at the sky to ask a single question to someone.

“Today’s a nice weather to plant a tree, isn’t it?”

  
  
  


I can’t see anything.  
I don’t know where I am.  
I can’t move either.  
I was scared  
until I heard your voice.

“Ah! You’re finally here!”  
When I open my eyes, you were there so I lost my voice.  
“He~y, Diana~? Wait, could it be that you forgot about me? Because you’re ancient?”  
My hand moves to pinch your warm cheek.  
As usual, you always say one word too many, but I am happy I can be annoyed at you again.

“Ow, ow, ow, sorry~. But you sure are pretty even as a tree.”  
You get carried away easily, so I can tell you’re up to no good.  
“What do you call a  _really_  pretty tree? A natural beau _tree_.”  
When you see both of my hands move this time, you try to run away, but  
I catch you in a hug and rest my head against your shoulder.  
Only then, my voice returns, so I carefully say your name.

“Akko…”  
“Hm?”  
“I went to everyone’s funeral and exchanged goodbyes.”  
“I know…Thank you.”  
“All this time, I was alone.”  
“Mhm.”  
“I was lonely…”  
“I’m sorry.”  
I hug you tighter.  
Your shoulder is getting wet, but I don’t care. 

“I won’t forgive you.”  
“…what would make you forgive me?”  
“Please stay with me. Now and forever.”  
“Oh! That’s a piece of cake!”  
“Even if you get tired of me?”  
“I won’t let you go! I promise!”  
It was just what I was hoping for, but you are quick to break your promise. 

“Oh, but, um, sorry, Diana. Could you let go for a sec?”  
“Was your promise just now a lie?”  
“No! It’s just, maybe it’s from your elbow? Well, your branch growing from somewhere has been stabbing my ribs the whole time.”  
I was reminded by how childish you are.

“Akko! Why do you have to ruin the mood all the time!?”  
“I can’t help it! It hurts! And we have to get going soon, or they’ll start to worry!”  
I don’t let go of you, but I at least move my arms so that you’re no longer stabbed.

“Isn’t everybody here?”  
“No, this is the in-between.”  
“How do we get to where everyone is?”  
“We strive for the ideal place! Diana, are you ready?”  
“Of course.”

Just like 200 years ago, I look into your eyes, place my hand onto yours, and trust my voice with yours.

##  **“ “ Noctu Orfei Aude Fraetor Shiny Arc!! ” ”**

 

As long as you’re here with me, Akko,  
anywhere is my ideal place.

* * *

While they strive for their ideal place, a mysterious wind blows around the newly planted tree.

The green leaves dance into the sky to show a silhouette of two witches riding a broom.


	7. Sybilladura Lelladybura   When traditional and modern powers mingle, the gate to an unseen world will open…?

“Akko, what is the meaning of that?”  
Upon arriving to the new world, Diana was bewildered by what she saw.  
“Oh, my parents and your parents get along really well for some reason. Since 150 years ago, I think?”  
“I, I see…”  
“By the way, I get along with your parents too! Since 200 years ago!”  
“I will have to introduce myself to your parents as well.”  
“I don’t think you have to be so formal about it though.  
“Why not? I’ll be with you for a long time now, so I would like to properly introduce myself this time.”  
“I guess you’re right…Diana, I’ll be in your care again!”

 

Meanwhile, on the parent side.

The mothers  
“Look, Miss Bernadette! They’re walking side by side again!”  
“I know, Miss Kagari! I thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me see Diana laugh so happily again!”

The fathers  
“When should we hold the ceremony? Should we have it European style or Japanese style?”  
“I would like to see Miss Akko in a dress.”  
“I would like to see Miss Diana in a kimono…”

The daughters  
“Why not both? I wear the dress, and you wear the kimono!”  
“I agree on a ceremony that combines both Japanese and European culture. Let’s invite everyone right away.”

* * *

It’s been two-hundred years since Akko broke the tradition that only a Cavendish is allowed to enter the sanctuary, but it seems that she will officially become a Cavendish today.

What waits beyond the wedding arch is…  
a secret just for them.


	8. Insert

As long as you were here, I was at my ideal place.

What am I supposed to do?

Now that you’ve gone there,

And I’m still here?


End file.
